一項研究顯示使用他汀類藥物降低升高的膽固醇，能夠部分逆轉冠狀動脈斑塊的形成。

這項研究在美國、加拿大、歐洲和澳洲的53個社區和III期護理中心進行?？傆?07例患者接受了基線血管內超聲檢查(IVUS)，該技術將一個微小超聲探頭插入冠狀動脈中測量斑塊。在基線和治療24小時后測量了動脈粥樣硬化的進展。所有患者每日使用40 mg瑞舒伐他汀，該藥上市的商品名叫做Crestor。

研究結果顯示3種檢測方法都發現病變出現了減輕。平均基線低密度脂蛋白(LDL)膽固醇下降了53.2%，平均高密度脂蛋白(HDL)升高了14.7%。根據不同的指標總體判斷，動脈斑塊減少了6.8-9.1%。這種最大程度的膽固醇降低，曾經在一項大型他汀類藥物試驗中曾經觀察到。這些結果在2006年3月Atlanta (GA, USA)舉行的美國心臟病學年度科學會議上進行了報道。
 
Intensive Statin Therapy Reduces Coronary Plaque
 
A new study shows that very intensive cholesterol lowering with a statin drug can partially reverse the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries.

The study was conducted at 53 community and tertiary care centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. A total of 507 patients had baseline intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination, a technique in which a tiny ultrasound probe is inserted into the coronary arteries to measure plaque.

Atherosclerosis progression was assessed at baseline and at 24 months of treatment. All patients received 40 mg daily of rosuvastatin, a statin marketed under the brand name Crestor.

Results showed that regression occurred for all three pre-specified IVUS measures of disease burden. The mean baseline low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol dropped by 53.2%, and mean high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased by 14.7%. Arterial plaque overall was reduced by 6.8-9.1% for the various measures of disease burden. This is the largest reduction in cholesterol ever observed in a major statin outcome trial. The results were presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific session, held during March 2006 in Atlanta (GA, USA).